I&M Canal NHC at 30: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

On the site of the old Joliet Arsenal is the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, it's a few miles southeast of Channahon and the Illinois & Michigan Canal. East of America's first Tallgrass Prairie is the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.

The link to this spot to the canal is tenuous, but prior to European settlement, much of Illinois was grassland, hence one of its two nicknames, the Prairie State. The other nickname of course is the Land of Lincoln--I'll have more on our 16th president later in this series.

Next: Morris

Earlier posts:

I&M Canal NHC at 30: Channahon State Park
I&M Canal NHC at 30: Briscoe Mounds